Manchester City Found Guilty of 114 Out of 115 Premier League Finance Breaches
Overview of Manchester City's Premier League Finance Breaches
By Lori Ewing
Guilty Verdict and Immediate Reactions
MANCHESTER, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Manchester City have been found guilty of all but one of the 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, The Athletic and The Times reported on Friday.
The club are expected to appeal, the reports added.
The Premier League declined to comment. "It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all," a spokesperson said.
City did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, but told the BBC that the inquiry into allegations "remains ongoing."
Details of the Premier League Inquiry
The Premier League referred City to an independent commission in February 2023 over alleged breaches of finance rules spanning the 2009-10 to 2022-23 seasons. The club have consistently denied wrongdoing.
Specific Allegations and Legal Representation
Among the most serious allegations was that City failed in each season from 2009-10 to 2017-18 to provide accurate financial information giving a "true and fair view" of revenues, including sponsorship income, and operating costs.
City hired lawyer David Pannick to lead their defence, while the Premier League was represented by Adam Lewis KC, according to British media reports.
The Hearing Process
The hearing began on September 16, 2024, and concluded nearly three months later on December 6. The case was heard by an independent commission composed of three judges appointed by the independent chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel.
Previous UEFA Ban and Appeal
City were banned from the Champions League for two years by European football's governing body UEFA in 2020 after being found to have overstated sponsorship revenue between 2012 and 2016.
The club, however, successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which overturned the ban.
Manchester City's Recent Success
Since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club in 2008, City have won eight Premier League titles, the Champions League, four FA Cups and seven League Cups.
City top the Premier League after winning each of their opening five matches.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Goa, Lori Ewing in ManchesterEditing by Toby Davis)
